PDL Feature
Wednesday, September 11, 2013
TAMPA, Fla. – After winning the PDL’s Golden Boot with 16 goals in 12 games for the Baltimore Bohemians this summer, Pete Caringi has picked up where he left off to help lead UMBC to a 4-0-0 record to start the NCAA Division I season. With two goals in each of the Retrievers’ first four games, Caringi leads the nation, and on Monday was named the CollegeSoccerNews.com Player of the Week to lead a number of PDL alumni honored nationally after an exciting weekend of action across the country.
Caringi, who was also named to the TopDrawerSoccer.com Team of the Week and earned America East Player of the Week honors for the second consecutive week, scored the opening two goals in the Retrievers’ 3-1 victory against Central Connecticut State Thursday night, and followed up his performance with another brace against St. Francis (N.Y.) on Sunday evening.
The Jersey Express’ Thomas McNamara was another player earning national recognition, with the Clemson midfielder taking TopDrawerSoccer.com’s Player of the Week honor after scoring in each of the Tigers’ victories against South Carolina, Virginia and Gardner-Webb. McNamara had four goals and three assists for the Express this summer, and now has four goals in as many games for the 4-0-0 Tigers. McNamara also shared the ACC Player of the Week award with Virginia Tech’s Kai Marshall.
Joining McNamara and Caringi on the TDS Team of the Week was 2013 All-League selection Axel Sjoberg of the Thunder Bay Chill, with the standout defender continuing to star for Marquette early in the season. The center back took Most Valuable Player honors of the Panther Invitational, while also notching his first goal of the season in a 4-1 win against Drake.
Others that earned selection included the North Sound SeaWolves’ Taylor Peay, who also earned Pac-12 Player of the Week honors after he recorded four goals, including a hat trick against Santa Clara, in two games for the University of Washington. Sounders FC U23 defender Josh Phillips was also named to the Team of the Week after he helped Gonzaga win a pair of road games against UC Santa Barbara and Cal Poly.
K-W United’s Tomislav Zadro picked up Team of the Week honors, and earned co-Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week honors, after the Wisconsin midfielder recorded two goals and two assists in the Badgers’ victories against Western Michigan and DePaul.
Zadro, who made 10 appearances for United this summer, was the difference-maker in the win against the Blue Demons, where he tied the game with one second remaining on the clock and then provided the assist on Chicago Fire PDL forward Jacob Brindle’s game-winner three minutes into overtime. Zadro shared the Big Ten honors with Chicago Fire PDL forward Joey Calistri, who scored both goals in Northwestern’s 2-0 win against Xavier on Saturday night.
Reading United’s Larry Ndjock continued his strong start to the season, while picking up TDS Team of the Week honors, as he led Loyola to a pair of victories with four goals in two games. After recording a hat trick in a 5-3 win against La Salle in midweek, Ndjock scored the only goal of the game against St. Francis (Pa.) to keep the Greyhounds undefeated, and allowed him to also earn the Patriot League’s Offensive Player of the Week award.
Other PDL alumni to earn conference honors included former Jersey Express goalkeeper Rafael Diaz, who was named the Big East Goalkeeper of the Week for St. John’s after recording three saves in the Red Storm’s 2-1 upset of No. 5 Akron. Diaz also shut out Penn State as St. John’s picked up its third win of the season with a 1-0 victory.
Northwestern’s Tyler Miller, who played this past summer for the Chicago Fire PDL, picked up Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week honors as he shut out Xavier in the Wildcats’ 2-0 victory, while former Mississippi Brilla forward Devon Fisher claimed the Atlantic 10 Player of the Week award after leading VCU to a stunning 3-2 victory against No. 13 Maryland that saw the Rams score three goals in the final 13 minutes.
The LA Misioneros’ Brian Behrad took home Big West Offensive Player of the Week honors as he scored the game-winning goal in both of Cal State Northridge’s victories, moving the Matadors to 4-0-0 for the first time in program history, while the Seacoast United Phantoms’ Terence Carter claimed Colonial Athletic Association honors after he scored twice in Northeastern’s 5-2 victory against Fairfield.
Michigan Bucks goalkeeper Nathan Steinwascher claimed the Horizon League’s Defensive Player of the Week award as he helped the University of Detroit earn a pair of draws at the Mayor’s Cup at Hartwick College. Steinwascher recorded 16 saves in two games against Cornell and Robert Morris, conceding one goal in a 1-1 draw against the Big Red.